BYU's premier a cappella group recognized for best male collegiate album and best religious song in prestigious a cappella recording awards
BYU Vocal Point's talent caught global attention last weekend when it won awards for best male collegiate album and best religious song at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, or CARA Awards, in Boston April 12.
Produced by the Contemporary A Cappella Society, the CARA Awards honor the best of recorded a cappella music around the world, with past winners including such high-profile groups as Pentatonix, Rockapella and The King's Singers.
Vocal Point received more nominations than any other group-a huge honor when you consider that the awards are the equivalent of Grammy Awards in the field of a cappella, said BYU Vocal Point Artistic Director McKay Crockett.
The aptly named award-winning album, Spectrum, showcases Vocal Point's musical versatility, running the gamut from Mozart to Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars.
"We crafted Spectrum very carefully, and it literally spans the spectrum of music that anyone can enjoy," Crockett said. "When we started production on this album, we wanted to do something different than we've ever done with both song selection and effects. In every sense, it covers the wide spectrum of what we love about music."
Among Spectrum's tracks is "I Stand All Amazed," an original arrangement of the classic Christian hymn that received the best religious song CARA Award. The win was poignant for Crockett, who arranged the song in a matter of hours and "felt like it was a gift from God."
"Vocal Point is all about touching people's hearts, and so that religious award means a lot," Crockett said. "When everything else is stripped away, that's the purpose of Vocal Point. Our mission statement is 'to enlighten the hearts and minds of those within the sound of our voice unto the filling of their souls with joy.' I tried really hard to let the lyrics and the message about God's grace guide the music."
In addition to their wins, the group was nominated for three additional awards-best scholastic arrangement for their cover of Sara Bareilles's "Brave," best scholastic male solo for "Brave" soloist Scott Shattuck, and best classical song for the Mozart tribute "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik."
Vocal Point took home its first CARA in 2013, winning best religious album for Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration.
Since its 2014 release, Spectrum has sold more than 11,000 copies-an impressive number for its market and label, said BYU Records General Manager Ben Fales.
"Winning these awards means a lot to us here at BYU Records," Fales said. "But beyond the awards, it shows that the good things we are trying to do with BYU Vocal Point and other BYU groups are being heard, seen and recognized by a community of people far greater than our BYU campus. People all over the world are beginning to see the excellent music and performances our BYU students are able to achieve."
Spectrum, including the award-winning track "I Stand All Amazed," is available from iTunes.
ABOUT BYU VOCAL POINT
BYU Vocal Point is Brigham Young University's premiere nine-man a cappella ensemble. Directed by McKay Crockett, Vocal Point wows audiences everywhere with its vocal firepower, innovative arrangements, and remarkable vocal percussion. Vocal Point took the spotlight as one of the final five groups on NBC's hit television show "The Sing-Off," and its popular music videos have been featured on Good Morning America and the Grammy Awards. Their acclaim is recognized in the a cappella world, winning first place in the 2006 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) and first runner-up in the competition's 2011 finals. Vocal Point is the best-selling artist on the BYU Records label. To learn more, visit www.byuvocalpoint.com, or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
